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A Macroinvertebrate Study of the Shenango River Westinghouse Superfund Site, Sharon, PA

Robinette, Paul R.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1244087277

Abstract Details

2009, Master of Science in Environmental Science, Youngstown State University, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences.
The previous spills and releases of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) into the Shenango River caused the Westinghouse Site to become a superfund. With the superfund concluded, our goal was to compare the dredged areas of the Westinghouse Superfund site in the Shenango River to the channel areas which were not remediated. Replicate ponar grab samples were taken in remediated areas, in the non-remediated areas and at an upstream reference site on three days between summer, fall 2007 and spring 2008 seasons. Thirty-five total taxa were collected and were dominated by the chironomid genera. Also identified were a chironomid chironomus mentum deformity incidence, tolerance index value. A multivariate analysis of variance was done on date and site type for abundance, richness and tolerance index. Site type was not significant, meaning there was no statistical significance between reference, non-remediated and remediated sites. Date was found significant as expected by the phenology of macroinvertebrates emergence. The depression of abundance and richness values, chironomid deformity incidence and tolerance index suggest mild stress on the site sampled. This stress could be from one or more sources such as urbanization or the upstream landfill. This study can prove to be a valuable baseline for future studies at the Westinghouse Site or the Shenango River.
Felicia Armstrong, PhD (Advisor)
Shane Smith, PhD (Committee Member)
Thomas Diggins, PhD (Committee Member)
Mark Russell, MS (Committee Member)
41 p.
Ecology; Entomology; Environmental Science; Freshwater Ecology
Macroinvertebrate

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Robinette, P. R. (2009). A Macroinvertebrate Study of the Shenango River Westinghouse Superfund Site, Sharon, PA [Master's thesis, Youngstown State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1244087277

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Robinette, Paul. A Macroinvertebrate Study of the Shenango River Westinghouse Superfund Site, Sharon, PA. 2009. Youngstown State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1244087277.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Robinette, Paul. "A Macroinvertebrate Study of the Shenango River Westinghouse Superfund Site, Sharon, PA." Master's thesis, Youngstown State University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1244087277

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ysu1244087277
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© 2009, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Youngstown State University and OhioLINK.